Mike Petke always appreciated the beautiful views Salt Lake City had to offer in his visits to Utah as a player and coach.
What he didn’t like was playing or coaching against Real Salt Lake.
“I hated coming to Salt Lake because you guys were so good at home,” the new Real Monarchs coach laughed while in Manhattan Beach for the 2017 MLS Combine.
The age-old phrase “If you can’t beat them, join them” comes to mind, but there is more to Petke signing as the Head Coach for the USL club than that. After leading the New York Red Bulls to the Supporters’ Shield in 2013 – the club’s first ever trophy – Petke found himself without a job in 2014.